For the record, Cynthia and I did not pick this one. Our friend TK did. Because he wanted to see his “flower vase” a.k.a. Gemma Arterton – his words, not mine. If TK was not impressed with her performance in Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, why would he pick Hansel and Gretel? I suppose there are female qualities that not even a mortal man can resist.
Again, I have not read the original fairy tale. Cynthia tried hard to give me a quick run down of the original story on our way to the theater. All I got was that Hansel and Gretel were siblings. They got lost, entered a house made by biscuits. And the boy was going to be eaten by the witch.
In a way, Cynthia is right. Witch Hunters is unique because the main characters are siblings. Though, I must say, since both characters are attractive in their own ways and there aren’t many character development opportunities in the beginning, it took me quite some time not to look at them as romantically linked.
In this alternative dark fantasy, Hansel and Gretel are witch hunters. And the witches in this movie look monstrous, like straight out from a horror movies. In fact, there is enough blood and gore that would qualify Hansel and Gretel as a part-horror-part-fantasy movie. Heads explode. Bodies torn into pieces. If this film was to be infused with a good sense of humor, that would have suited me better. The plot is by and large predictable. I was pretty bored in the beginning. But it does get more entertaining towards the end. Cynthia seems to really like this one. TK thinks it is so-so. Anything – be it as movies or video games – with girls kicking butts wins my heart. Gemma Arterton just have that something I want to see.